Cartridge-shell.



L. B. & W. E. KEPLINGER. CARTRIDGE SHELL.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 5. 1915.

1,156,406. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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LIVINGSTON 13. KEPLINGEB, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND WARREN E.

KEPLINGER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CARTRID GE-SI-IELL;

Application filed February 5, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, LIVINGSTON B. KEP- LIXGER and VZARR N KEPLINGER, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, and Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridge-Shells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cartridge shells such as those used in breech-loading shotguns and other fire-arms, and which comprise a heavy paper tube having one end closed by a metal cup.

The invention consists substantially in the combination and arrangement hereafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing-Figure 1 is an elevational view of a cartridge shell embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a metallic cup or reinforcement which fits over the end of the shell, and Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an empty shell embodying the present invention.

Cartridge shells such as those used in breech-loading shot-guns are usually composed of a tube made of paper or like material having one end closed by a thin metallic cup surrounding a portion of the end of the paper tube and having an opening through which the ignition cap or primer extends. It has been found by experience that the firing of such a shell in the gun has a tendency to cut off the paper against the edge of the metallic cup at the point where the metal is discontinued. The part of the tube reinforced by the metal is prevented from expanding when the cartridge is exploded, but the part beyond such reinforcement expands to a greater or less extent due to the fact that an absolutely tight fit in the barrel of the gun is impracticable. This produces a shearing action against the edge of the cup and has a tendency to sever the paper tube at this point and render it useless for reloading.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the usual form of paper tube used in shotgun. shells and the numeral 2 designates the metallic cup or reinforcement used to close Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12,1915.

Serial No. 6,229. s

the end of the tube, thus producing the complete shell. The cup 2 as usual is provided with arim 3 whichlimits the distance that the shell or cartridge may be inserted into the breech of a gun. At various points around the periphery of the shell 2 at the edge thereof opposite the closed end, are located a number of slits or cut portions 4 which divide the open end of the shell 2 into a series of projections or sections 5. These sections are adapted to yield outwardly when the cartridge is discharged, for a purpose which will be explained. At the base of each of the cuts or slits 4, a small perforation 6 is made, somewhat greater in diameter than the width of the slit in the metal. The perforations 6 are to prevent the metal cup from being severed by the force of the explosion in the direction of the slits farther toward the closed end of the cup. The width of the slits a is immaterial and it should be understood that all that is necessary is that the metal be severed to al low an outward expansion of the cup at the edge thereof. lVhile the drawing shows four such slits, it should be understood that any desirable number may be made without departing from the invention.

When a cartridge such as that shown embodying the present invention, is discharged in a gun, the tube 1 will expand slightly just as has previously been the case, but there will be no fixed edge of metal surrounding the tube to cause a shearing or out ting-oil action. Instead of such action taking place, the sections 5 are free to yield or expand outwardly with the tube 1, thus forming a gradually tapering shoulder instead of a fixed band having a sharp edge surrounding the tube. It will thus be seen that no severing of the paper tube takes place, and after firing, the cartridge can be reloaded and used again.

What we claim is:

1. A reinforcement for a cartridge shell having its edge slitted, free to expand, and arranged to surround the explosive containing portion of the shell.

2. A cartridge shell comprising an end cup having the edge thereof slitted and free to expand, and being adapted to fit over the end of a shell with the slitted edge surrounding the explosive containing portion of said shell.

3. A cartridge Shell comprising a tube, a

reinforcing ring having its edge slitted, free to expand, and surrounding the explosive containing portion of said tube.

L. A cartridge shell comprising a tube, a reinforcing end cup positioned over one end of said tube, free to expand, and having slits therein at the edge thereof adjacent the explosive containing portion of said tube.

5. An end c ,up for a cartridge shell com prising a cylindrical tube having slits extending from the edge of the inner end thereof toward the outer end, the slitted portion of said cup being free to expand, and adapted to overlie the explosive containing portion of said tube.

6. A cartridge shell comprising a tube for containing explosive material provided with an exterior reinforcing member forming the outermost layer of said shell, said member having a portion thereof slitted and overlying the explosive containing portion of said tube.

7. A reinforcement for a cartridge shell having one edge thereof adapted to overlie the explosive containing portion of a cartridge tube to form the outermost layer of said shell, said reinforcement being slitted to permit expansion thereof;

8. A- reinforcement for a cartridge shell having one edge thereof adapted to overlie the explosive-containing portion of a shell and slitted to permit expansion of; said reinforcement, and'having an opening at the end-of said slits through said reinforcement to prevent extension of said slits caused by said expansion.

9. An endcup for cartridge shells having more than two spaced slits at' intervals around the periphery thereof extending backwardly from the edge of said cup to permit expansion of said cup at its end, said cup being free to expand at said end.

.10. An end cup for a cartridge shell hav- G'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner Washington, D. O.

ing separated sections extending longitudinally of said cup at the inner end thereof, the adjacent edges of said sections arranged in close proximity to one another to form a substantially continuous outermost layer for said shell and adapted to overlie the portion of said shell that is expanded by firing.

11. A cartridge shell comprising a tube, a cup positioned over one end of said tube and overlying the portion thereof that is expanded in firing and having slits extending backwardly from the edge thereof whereby pressure in said tube will cause said cup to expand at the edge thereof to prevent the tube from being cut off by the edge of said cup.

12. A cartridge shell comprising a tube, a cup positioned over one end of said tube, and having the inner end thereof overlying the portion of said tube thatis expanded in firing and slitted to form yieldable sections and having arcuate perforations at the base of the slits separating said sections.

'13. A reinforcement for cartridge shells having narrow, elongated-slits at the edge thereof adapted to externally overlie the explosive-containing portion of a cartridge shell.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Signed on this thirtieth day of January 1915.

LIVINGSTON B. KEPLINGER.

Witnesses T. S. WALMSLEY, MICHEL Pnovo'rnr. Signed on this 28th day of January 1915.

; WARREN E. KEPLINGER. Witnesses:

BURTON B. TUTTLE, MAUDE NEELY.

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